Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Management Committee Chairman, Zaka Ashraf will travel to India on Thursday for witnessing the highly-anticipated match between hosts India and the Green Brigade, scheduled to be played at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday.
Ashraf decided to travel to India after it was confirmed that the media personnel of Pakistan were given the nod to submit their passports for securing an Indian visa to cover the ongoing ICC Men’s World Cup 2023, PCB said in a statement.
“I have delayed my travel to India, and I am traveling tomorrow after receiving confirmation that Pakistan’s journalists have been asked to submit their passports to obtain visas to cover the mega event. I am happy that my conversation with the foreign office helped achieve a positive development regarding the visa delay,” the PCB chief said in a statement.
“I am extremely pleased with how the players have performed so far in the World Cup, winning both matches. The PCB management committee and the entire nation stand firmly behind the players for a successful campaign in the ongoing World Cup. I am traveling to India to motivate the team, and my message to them before the India contest will be to play fearlessly as they have been playing throughout the event,” he added.
Notably, the Babar Azam-led Pakistan have won their first two games at the ongoing World Cup – against the Netherlands in Hyderabad and registered a record chase against Sri Lanka on Tuesday at the same venue.
Pakistan will face hosts and arch-rivals India in Ahmedabad in what promises to be the most anticipated game of the ongoing marquee tournament.